vincent



Feb. 12, 1929.

J. G. VINCENT VIBRATIoN DANPER Fon INTERNAL colus'iIoN ENGINES atkoiwuj 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 'L/E'ssz .El TNCEM Filed Jan. 9, 192B Feb. l2, 1929. 1,701,596

J.'G. VINCENT VIBRATION DAMPER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Fiied Jan. 9, 192e 2 sheets-sheer 2 MATH, l v HE: 4

Inventor Patented Feb. 12, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JESSE G. VINCENT, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T IACKARD MOTOR CAR COM- PANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

VIBRATION DAMPER FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filed JanuaryS, 1928. Serial No. 245,323.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines and more particularly to means for controllin torsional vibration in the f crank shafts o such engines.

It has for one of its objects to provide a simple and effective device adapted to damp torsional vibration in an engine shaft.

Another object of the invention is to pro-.

vide a vibration damper'having an integral inertia membercapable of expansion to vary the damping friction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a vibration damper having an integral inertia member capable of exerting a variable pressure upon its supporting means in accordance with changes in speed.

Anotherobject of the invention is to provide a vibration damper for shaftsin which the frictional dissipation of energy is entirely effected between an expansible inertia member and the shaft mounting for said member.

Other objects of the-invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which:

Fig. 1 `is an end elevation of a vibration damper embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through part of an internal combustion en- 3l) Fig. `1;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 1, broken a-way and `partially in section, showing a modified form of the damping means;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the form of device shown in Fig. 3, partially in section substantially on the line 4-4`of Fig. 3, and

Figs. 5 and 6 are views similar to Figs. 3 and 4, showing another modification of 'the invent-ion. Y

Referring to the drawing, in Fig. 2 at 10 is represented the crank case of an internal combustion engine having a removable lower cover or oil pan 11 and provided with transverse webs, such as shown at 12. These webs support suitable aligned bearings 13 for an engine crank shaft 14, which has the usual integral cranks 15, each of which is connected by a connecting rod 16 to a piston mounted in one ofthe engine cylinders. The piston and cylinder are not shown in the drawings, but are of usual construction. i

The damping means of this invention is illustrated in Fig. 2 as mounted at or adjacent gine provided with the damper shown in the end of the crank Shaft 14. It is in the form of an annular sectional inertia member 17, mounted coaXially with the crank shaft on a suitable part thereof. As shown, this part is a supporting member 18 having a forwardly projecting portion 19 on which a bearing or retaining member 21 is keyed as indicated at 22. The bearing member 18 is keyed as at`23 to the reduced end 24 of the crank shaft 14, and is axially positioned thereon by means of a shoulder 25 formed by reducing the end ofthe shaft. A gear or chain sprocket 26 may be formed on the member 18 if desired and used to drive thel engine camshaft and other engine accessories, which are not shown in the drawing. The annular retaining member 21 comprises a pair of friction rings 27 placed back to back upon the extended portion 19 of the member 18, and each provided with'axially disposed peripheral flanges 28 defining a circumferential greove 29.

The member 21 and the shaft member 18 are retained in axial position on the shaft bg nut 31 on the threaded end 32 of the s a't. washer 33 against the radial face of the outer friction ring 27, so that both the friction rings, and the member 18 which bears against them, are rigidly secured to the crank shaft to rotate therewith. The end of the nut 31 is peripherally formed wit-h clutch teeth 34 which may be engaged with similar teeth 35 on an endwise movable starter shaft 36. This is the usual hand starting crank for manually rotating the crank shaft for starting.

The inertia member 17 is in the form of an annulus or ring having a peripherally disposed weight portion or rim 37 and an integral mounting portion 38 within said rim. The mounting portion includes a radially disposed web 39 having an axially disposed fiange 41 defining grooves 42 in which the flanges 28 of the retaining member 21 are adapted to seat. 4The flange 4l thus provides a pair of peripheral shoulders 43 which form a bearing surface on which the inertia member 17 isrotatably mounted. This bearing surface also provides a friction connection between the inertia member and engine shaft.

In thek form of the invention shown, the inertia member 17 is provided with a diametrically disposed slot 44 in the axial plane of This nut operates through a dished through the mounting' portion and part of the rim at the apposite side, terminating` in ahole a5. .This slotgdeines a pui-r of opp'f-isitely disposed weight segments :21.6, having; a conimon connecting' portion. i7 at the rim ofthe device. Since lthe center y of l gravity of each of these segments 46 is removed from theaxis of rotation, it follows that they will tendto separate in response to centrifugal force5 causing the damper tov increase its effective diameter, or expand. Such expansion is resisted by the connectingl .portion tTWhich reslliently opposes separation of' the segments,

and it is also resisted by the contact pressure Vof the'bearinn` surfaces v'/l with the retainer flange 28. This contact prest-unie7 of course, increases the yfriction between these parts, so that the damping action is automatically varied in response tochanges in speed of the sli-aft'.V ln this WayA a damping` device Ais providedin which the damping effect is increased i'vith the speed to better control the heavier vvibrations which usually occur at the higher shaft. speeds. n

.The bearing` may be readily lubricated from the pressure oilingsystem of the engine, if desired. For this purpose a passage 49 is provided in the crank shaft communicating,` by ja port 5l Withthe lubricating system 52 at the nearest crank shaft'bearing 13. This bearing` 49 communicates .at its other end with the interior of the extension 19 on the mem ber .18, and a Vduct is provided from this space into thegroove Q9.V At each revolution of thebearing a charge of oil is supplied tO the passage 119 through the metering)` port 5l, and thence through the ductlto the bearing' surface. Byproperly choosing the size ofthe port 5l, any desired amount of lubriy :ant may be supplied to the bearing 43.

'in Figs. 3 and l .is shown a modiliedvform vrof the device in which the pressure of the l bearing' surface 43 on the coOperatn'ig` Vsurface of the retainer flanges 28 is increased by the useof a spring 56. VThis spring` isf located between the .adj acent ends of the segments siti, the ends being` seated in 'aligned recesses 57, formed inthe'.rimportions ofthe seggi'nents Lib in any convenientzmanner, asby milling' from the side face of the segments, as clearly showninl l. lt will be evident tliatthis sinfinir 5b tends to expand the inertia member with a substantially constant force which acts to all times in addition to the centrifugal force of rotation. .Thus not only does it increase the friction at .the bearing surface but provides aninitial friction Whichassists in starting the inertia member when the engine Ashaft is started from rest.

y Another form of the device is shown 'in Figs. 5 and. QIn this `arrangement the ends of the recesses 57.' are provided with attachments 58'for the ends of a tension springe@ which tends to draw the ends of the segments 4G together. t will be evident that this arrangement 'acts' to contract the inertia member and that the tension of the spring` 59 opposedto the 4action of the'eentriifugal force i on the se ients. i116. This transfers the initial fric ion from the inner surface i3 of the grrooveto the outer surface Gll thereof, the conlin speed the centrifugal force becomes sullicient to bringl the surface@ intor contact with thetlanges '12 i'vhereuponthe yoperation is the same as that of the embodiment illustrated inl-Finis'. 3 and 4t. jlt will be imderstoodthat the clearance between. the surfaces andl, and thefia lires 28,lias been exaggerated in the drawing'for the purpose of clearer illus'- tration. y y

The damper shown in Figs. andi@ maybe u,sed,'for example, Where damping.;` is not desired through a certain speed rangeof the engine7 but damping' above this speedrange is necessary.` The extent ofthis range is .determined by the relation between the spring pressure and the centrifugal force7 sojthat in a given damper it may be readily varied by properly choosing` the springy 59. This device also provides for the transferV of the starting' friction'from the damping: surface to a separat-e surface 6l, thus avoiding unduewea r of the parts. i

It will be understood that various forms of the invention other than those described vabove may be used Without departing .from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Having thus described the inventiomwvhat is claimed and desired to be secured byLe't- Vters Patent is l l. IA Vvibration damper for shafts comprising` .a membersecured to the shaft to rotate therewith, and anvintegral expansible inertia member mounted'on the shaft member and 'frictionally engaging said memberto resist relative rotation belwreentlie inertia member and the shaft. i

2. A vibration damper for shafts compris ing a member secured tothe shaft to rotate therewith having` axially disposed flanges, rand an vintegral expansible inertia member having a portion disposed to rotate on and frictionally engage said flanges'.

3. v A vibration damper-for shafts comprising an integral expansibleinertiamember, a shaft member onV Whichthe inertia member is rotatably mounted, and meansfforminga part of said shaft member frictionalllyiengaging the inertia member to retard relative rotation between the inertia member and the shaft.

4. A vibration damper for shafts comprising a bearing member secured to the shaft and having peripheral retaining flanges, and an integral annular inertia member having grooves to receive said fianges and diametrically slotted to expand into frictional engagement therewith in accordance with shaft speed. y

5. A vibration. damper for shafts comprising a member rigidly secured to theshaft having peripheral retaining means, and an inertia member rotatably mounted on and frictionally engaging the retaining means, said inertia member being diametrically slotted through one side and a portion ofthe opposite side to expand under centrifugal force and vary said frictional engagement.

G. A vibration damper for shafts comprising a supporting member carried by the shaft, and an inertia member rotatably mounted on said supporting member and having a. friction connection therewith, said inertia member having a diametrically disposed slot whereby it expands in response to centrifugal force to vary the friction of said connection.

7. A vibration damper for shafts comprising a supporting member carried by the shaft, and an inertia member mounted on said supporting member and having a friction conneetion therewith, said inertia member being diametrieally slotted to expand in response to changes in speed to vary the friction of said connection.

8. A vibration damper for crank shafts of internal combustion engines comprising a supporting member secured to the shaft, an annular inertia member surrounding the supporting member and rotatable about the shaft axis, said inertia member having a slot in a diametrical axial plane whereby it is deformable in response to centrifugal force, and re taining means between the supporting member and the inertia member frictionally ensaid inertia member to provide a varif able damping friction in accordance with the deformation thereof.

9. A vibration damper for shafts comprising a supporting member secured to the shaft, an annular' retaining member carried by the supporting member, an integral inertia member mounted on the retaining member to ro tate about the shaft axis and having segmental portions radially movable in response to centrifugal force and frictionally engaging the retaining member, and spring means to vary the movement of said segmental portions.

10. A vibrationdamper for shafts comprising a shaft member, and an integral expansible inertia member mounted on and surrounding said shaft member, said members having engaging portions whereby expansion of the inertia member will increase the friction between said engaging portions.

ll. A vibration damper for shafts comprising an integral annular inertia member' rotatably mounted on the shaft and having an axially disposed slot defining segmental portions and a recess in the face of each segmental portion adjacent said slot, friction means between said inertia member and the shaft, and spring means in said recess adapted to urge the segmental portions into engagement with said friction means.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JESSE G. VINCENT. 

